Auto drive mechanism.



` B. W. JANSSEN.

AUTO DRIVE MECHANISM. APPLIUATION FILED AUG. 7. 1909.v

995,009. m1611161 June 13,1911.

' 31411044150@ EM/Jm 5l/@Monza .Wsw

ananas.

ED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. `BEN W. JANSSEN, F WENTWORTH, SOUTH DAKOTA.

AUTO DRIVE MECHANISM.

Y Specicationof Letters Patent. Patented J lille-13, 1911. Application led August 17, 1909. Serial No. 513,277.

To all 'wlwmz't 'may camera.'

Be it known that I; BEN W. JANSSEN, citi- `zellfof-the United States, residing at Went- Y worth, lin thecounty of Lake and State of South "Dakota, haveinvented certain new and Improvements in Auto Drive `"Mechanisins,l of which the following is a speciica'tion. i

This 'invention relates broadly to motor vehicles, referring particularly to a power transmission for thewsame.

-An'i objectmof the invention is to provide an improved clutch in connection with each of the front wheels of the vehicle wherein "fthe independent racing of the wheels ispermitted to make turns in either direction and at'the same time Atotra-nsmit the power from the medium to the wheels.

A furtherl object of the invention resides Ain theprovision of a peculiar arrangement of the gears and shafting, jwhereby the front 'wheels are permitted to move into various vertical planes to eiii'ect the turning and simultaneous driving thereof.

For a'full understanding of the invention reference is to be had to thefollowing description and accompanying drawings,

- Figure l'is a front elevation of one end of the frontaxlehaving' the wheel and its adjacent mechanismy applied thereto. Fig. 2

is a side elevation of the improved clutch employed vin connection with the transmission. Fig...3 is a section on. the .line 4 4 of Fig.2. Fig. 4 is al sectionalv view of thel front axle and its adjacent parts.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated inall the views of the accompanying drawings by the same reference characters. Referring to the drawings the numeral 17 designates the-'front axle which is of any approved form and disclosed in the drawings constructed of an I-beam'. Pairs of vertically spaced collars 19 are mounted for rotation against the o posite ends of .the axle 17. The lower co lar' 19 of each pair carries a depending and curved arm 2O Vupon the lower end of which is mounted a hori- The bearing 21`is arzontal bearing 21. ranged in longitudinal alinement with a second bearing 22 spaced inwardly therefrom and held in such position b .a web 23. The web 23 is arched downwar ly from the adjacent ends ofthe bearings 21 and 22 to accpmmodate the gearing which will be here'- the drum 52 for bin inafter described. v The bearings 21 and 22 at each end of the axle 17 carry a spindle 24 upon the outer end of whichpis mounted the front wheel 25. The spindle 24 'is held in position by a nut '26,- or ,the like, which is 'xed upon the inner end of the spindle to prevent the longitudinal outward movement of the same.'

- The improved means for transmittingb'the,

power to the front wheel 25 comprises the l eled pinion 31 'meshing withfa beveled pinion v32 carried upon the outer end of a h orizontal shaft 33 The shaft 33 is mounted in suitable bearings 34 upon the upper edgeof the axle 17. The shaft 33 is provided at its central portion with a gear 35', by means of which the power medium is connected to the shaft 33.

Upon each of the spindles 24 'a clutch mechanism is mounted for the purpose of admitting of the independent racingof the wheels 25. The' mechanism comprises a drum 52 rigid Vupon the hub 53 ofthe wheel and through which the `spindle 24 is loosely journaled. The spindle 24 carries a block 54 rotatable'within the drum 53 and formed withv oppositely disposed straight edges 55 terminating in shoulders 56 having diagona'lly and outwardly extending edges. Thestraight edges 5 5 support the inner ends oi the 4arms f 57 projecting radially 'from the block 54 and having inner beveled ends seating againstthe straight edges 55.' The arms 57 are loosely connected vto the block 54 by links 58. The links 58 are pivotally -mounted upon the block and are loosely connected to the inner ends of the arms 57.

The farms 57 are adapted. for slight upward 'movement from the edges 55 to' strike the 4shoulders 56.' The-louter ends of. the arms 57 are provided with 59 formed of U-shaped members overlapping the edge of .against the opposite faces of the same. he shoes 59 are of U-form so as to eiect the binding action of the saine upon the opposite sides et the drum 52 and ,insure the gripping of the shoes.

In the operation ot the improved transmission, when the beveled pinion c i the horizontal and rertieal shafts, spaced turned to revolve the shaft 38 the gearl turns' the gear 3l and sets the vertical shaft 19 in motion. The shaft 19 tnrns the intermeshing gears 27 and 28 revolving the spindle 24. 'lVhen the spindle 24 is driven in a forward direction, or in thedirection ,indi4 cated by the arrow in Fig. Q, the. block 5a is carriedA therewith. freely to carry the shoulders 56 into engagement against the inner edges ot' the arms 5.7, as disclosed in dotted lines in,V 2. Fun ther rotation of the bloclrl binds the shoulders 5.6 against the arms 57 and swings the inner ends of the arnis 57 out. to dispose the inner walls of the shoes 59 eccentric to the` drum 52. This action produces the binding of the ends of the shoes 59 against the op- The block 5 rotates i posite faces of the drum 52. As the shoulders 56 rest against the inner ends of the arms, and as the arms 57 held Jroni outward swingingmovenient by y the shoes 59, further movement of the block 54 eects the rotation ofthe drum 52vtherewith, binding the arms 57 upon the drum lVhen the drum 52 overruns the spindle :24 the shoes 59 are carried with the drum until the' inner walls of the shoes assume a position concentric to the sides of the drum-52. The shoes 59 are held in this position by the seating of the bases or inner ends 57a` of the arms against the straight edges 55,. of the blocks, and the resting of the points 'bof the arms againstv the shoulders 56. The links 58 are of sufficient length to admit `of the :tree movement of the arms 57. The links 58 also serve the function of retaining the arms 57 within the drum 52. 4 Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is: 1' f power transmission including a ,t axle haring eyes formed at its oppoends, a horizontal shaft carried by the vertical shafts' engaging through the inter eshing pinions disposed upon collars positionedagainst the sides of the eyes and about the vertical shafts, depending arnis carried by the lower ones of said collars and extending outwardly 'from the saine, spaced bearings arranged in horizontalV alinerfuent upon the arms, spindles journale'd through the bearings, intermeshingV pinions carried upon the lower ends ot the vertical sharts and on the spin- 4dies for communicating inotion thereto,

wheels carried by the spindles, and clutches interposed between the spindles and the wheels.

2. A transmission mechanism including a front axle, a horizontal' shaft disposed across the upper edge of the front axle, said axle having eyes formed at its opposite ends with vertical apertures therethrough, vertical shafts engaging through the eyes, pinions carried at the extremities of the hori- :frontal shaft and said vertical shaftsffor communicating motion therebetween, spacedycollars .loosely engaging against the opp0- site sides of the eyes and about the vertical shafts, downwardly curved arms extending outwardly from the lower ones of said-collars, spaced bearings carriedrin horizontal lalinenfient on said arms, spindles extending through the bearings toy swing with the collars, clutches carried upon the spindles, and.

wheels mounted upon said clutches. Y.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature in presence of two witnesses. 

